How Long To Simmer Smoked Ham On Stove

Determining how long to simmer smoked ham on the stove can seem daunting at first, but the task is not at all complicated and in fact can easily be completed by even the novice cook. Smoked ham slabs are pre-cooked, which means there is no health risk associated with undercooking the meat. The ham can be eaten cold, but will gain exceptional richness of flavor from lightly browning the meat on the stovetop. The amount of time required to simmer the ham will depend on the thickness of the slab and how much browning you desire in the meat.

Trim the skin. Trim off the skin from around the smoked ham slice, but do not trim excess fat from the ham before simmering. The fat will break down when heated and stand in place of butter or oil.

Heat skillet Heat a large skillet to medium-high, and place the smoked ham into the center.

Simmer Simmer until lightly browned on both sides, turning frequently to avoid burning. You should simmer an average-sized (half-inch thick) smoked ham slab for a total of about five to seven minutes to heat all the way through. Thicker slabs will need to simmer for up to ten or twelve minutes total.

Tips: If the smoked ham is especially lean, you may need to add a teaspoon of oil to the pan. Add the oil while the pan is still cold, and place the ham in when the oil begins to shimmer.

For very thick slices of ham, cook on high heat for the first three to five minutes to sear the outsides, and then reduce the temperature to medium low for the last five to seven minutes to heat throughout.